I love all teams Chicago (except the insufferable Bears). Cubs of course are on the top of the list. But growing up I too loved the Chicago Bulls. I spent many a nights in front of the television watching WGN and the magic that was Michael Jordan. I had the shoes. I drank the Gatorade. I sang the song.

As life has proven time and time again, 19 years later and things are far more complicated.

Athletes have gone from psuedo-gods to people; many times really shitty people. Jordan is no exception. In fact, Jordan is probably - like all things Michael - the best example. The most recent example of course being, as Rick Reiley put it, his "tactless, egotistical and unbecoming" Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

It's sad really. In the same way I sometimes long for the faith I had when I was in my teens, making Jesus' words of child like faith all the more clear, I too wish I could approach the world as I did when 8 years old.

But alas that usually isn't an option. As Cardinal Thomas Wosley once said, "Be very, very careful what you put into that head, because you will never, ever get it out."

Similarly, when I was 12 I hated John Stockton. Ok, really I hated Karl Malone. But my associated hatred of Stockton proves my point later. Both Malone and Stockton played for the Utah Jazz - at the time - an arch enemy of the Chicago Bulls.

On September 11, 2009, both Jordan and Stockton were admitted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And while Jordan's speech was the worst 23 minutes you could imagine; John Stockton had 11 seconds of brilliance that unfortunately most will never hear.


Maybe it is because I have been super stressed. Maybe it is because I feel the burden to be the best at everything (unfortunately making me a lot more like Jordan than Stockton). Or maybe it is because in that moment I realized all those years I should have been rooting for Stockton, and not Micahel. But those simple words of humility and honesty brought a tear to my eye.

When I watched Stockton he wasn't the best on the Jazz - Karl Malone was. But that didn't stop him from having a phenomenal career and supporting his team. And years later, the joy and love he brought to that stage was evident beyond his words.

That's a message kids should hear. Most of us will never be the "Michael Jordan" in our fields. And that's ok. In fact, that is probably a good thing.

So while my 8-year old self was spent looking up to Michael Jordan, I know my 27-year old self will look up to John Stockton. What can I say. John, you finally went down as the best at something. I wanna be like Mike John.

I have a friend who - along with about 10-20 other people - started a bank 2 years ago. One afternoon I found myself in the office talking to him about what that venture looked like. Having been around startups my entire life, I have an understanding of starting a business. But a bank? That's a completley different story. So naturally I was quite curious.

The brief conversation included some points on banking regulation and the FDIC. I knew what the FDIC was before this conversation, but hadn't really given it much thought (probably like most Americans). Then we had the banking crisis of 2008 - exactly one year ago from today.

Anybody who had any kind of money at all quickly became familiar with the FDIC guarantee.

Amidst all the collapse in our economy - 401(k)s taking huge hits, hedge fund manager corruption, banking scandal after banking scandal, and finally a ridiculous, non-capitalistic, yet necessary bail out - the one thing that worked EXACTLY the way it should was the FDIC.

Most Americans had every confidence in the world that their money (assuming less than $250,000) was safe, protected and backed by the Federal Government. And you know what. It was. Even as IndyMac failed, and Washington Mutual and Wachovia and JP Morgan all collapsed, there wasn't chaos because the FDIC was there and functioning.

What does this have to do with healthcare?

This past weekend Allen pulled the comparison that we don't need the government running a healthcare company because what we would have is the United States Postal Service. And frankly, if you want something delivered guaranteed and to actually not be a drain on taxpayers, you and I both know UPS is the way to go. Rather, he focused on three things that should be changed.

1. Fat People - obesity killing healthcare costs
2. Old People - quoting that most healthcare costs are spent in the last couple months of life
3. Lawyers - Medical malpractice is a killer on doctor's insurance (which gets passed on to the patients) and also means tons of unnecessary tests (adding to the cost)

I think his analysis is fairly good. But it left me asking, ok, then what do you actually envision as the answer?

The answer to that question is the FDIC, only for healthcare.

We need regulation in healthcare.

The current situation right now is UPS only with two deepening caveats: with too little competition and a service we have to use.

The public option option is the USPS. It will surely go bankrupt, and ruin healthcare in the process.

The "FDIC" option is the route to go. Under it would include:

• Tort reform to curb malpractice costs.
• Regulation to allow for previous conditions to be covered.
• Allowing insurance companies to operate beyond state borders allowing for more competition but with minimal capital needs to start new operations.
• Holding insurance companies accountable to live up to what they promise to insure.
• A division to make sure the 10-20 million legitimately uninsured could be subsidized
• Requiring every citizen to have proof of health insurance (I know this isn't popular, but I am all for it).

But the actual insurance, and the hospitals, and the doctors, and the nurses are still all private companies. The regulation is there. The accountability is there. The improved healthcare for all would follow.

This week marked two things I can't believe are here already.

It seems like only yesterday tiny Jadyn was asleep on my chest 9 days after being born (lower left hand photo above). We spent her 1st birthday at the Lake (photo 2). Her 2nd birthday was more low key and spent it at the house (photo 3). I didn't make it for her 3rd birthday due to Asher's premature delivery in Hilton Head (picture 4) and the craziness that ensued in June and July. And I didn't make it today because of our M-F launch.

I was however very humored to see the following Facebook Status update from Andrea this morning.

ANDREA: it's your birthday sweetie!
JADE: it is?
ANDREA: yes, you are four now
JADE: I don't want to be four, I want to be three

Typical woman always lying about her age and wishing she were younger :)

As much as I love Jadyn and as important as she is in my life, her turning 4 wasn't the biggest thing that happened this week.

At 9:00:00 PM on Monday we launched our Monday-Friday presence into the talk radio universe. If I can't believe Jadyn is turning 4 because time has flown by, the M-F radio presence is the exact opposite. I can't believe this is finally here because sometimes it felt like it was never going to happen.

But ohh has it happened. The week has been incredibly busy and I am still trying to find my routine (and get the new website done). For the most part there have been few errors - actually surprisingly few to be honest. And I think once things settle down, this is going to be a lot of fun.

Opening night was a blast. We opened for sure with Charlottsville, VA, Saginaw, MI, and Warner Robbins, GA. The remaining of our 30 launch affiliates will come online within the next week or so.

Afterwards we (myself, Allen, Anita, and Phil) went out (at 12:15 am) and celebrated at Taco Mac. Got some drinks. Had some queso dip. And even though there were times I never thought that day would come, it finally did, and it was great!

Check out the photos from the first night and leave some comments if you'd like. Be sure to invite Allen and I to be your friends on Facebook as well. We'll be using that a lot more in the coming months.

Back in February of 2007 I wrote about the day Allen told me that he was stepping out of his job at the church and doing the show full-time. The day he asked me if I was willing to do the same. I wrote how that day was really no different than any other day other than a small 10 minute conversation in a Ford F-150. But how that 10 minute conversation would change everything (and it did).

If that day marked the beginning of Chapter 2. Today marks Chapter 3.

Today is Labor Day.

Today is September 7, 2009.

Today is the 1st day of the rest of my life.

Today is the day we move our weekend presence to a weekday operation.

Today marks the beginning of sink or swim.

A year from now I will either be celebrating or unemployed.

Being in a startup environment has been great. I love the lack of HR policy. The lack of politics. The independence. Hell, I even love the uncertainty. But most of all I love the challenge.

The idea of building something from scratch, not taking a role once filled by another, but paving our own route is exhilarating.

Labor day is suppose to be the "holiday for the workers." The one day where we ironically get off of work to honor the American value and spirit of hard work. Of capitalism. Of entrepreneurship.

And while I will not be taking a day off today, I find poetic beauty in the fact that chapter 3 begins today.

Here's to have a wonderful year and not having to update my resumé.

What do you love about your job?